Improvement in mechanisms for converting reciprocating into rotary motion



W. F. GOODWIN u E. Fg-ROBERTS. Mechanism for Converting Reciprocatinginto Rotary Motion.

,645. Patented April 22%1879.

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N. PETERS. PHuTc-LITHuGRAPHEm wAsmNGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEI'OE.

WILLIAM F. GOODWIN AND EDVARD F. ROBERTS, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.

IMPROVEMENT INMECHANISM-S FOR CONVERTINGYRECIPROCATING lNl'O ROTARYMTION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,645, 'dated April22, 1879; application iiledV Maren 23, 1879.

. To all whom. 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM FARn GOOD- WIN and EDWARD FITZGERALDROBERTS, both of the city of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesexand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Mechanism forTransforming Rectilinear Reciprocating VMotion into Rotary Motion, ofwhich the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatusembodying` our invention. Fig. 2 is a like view, partly in section, thecylinder and bearings being removed to show the operating mechanism andantifriction-bearin gs and lever or cross-head. Fig. 3 is a like view ofthe driving or reciprocating spiral planes. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof one of the rotating spiral planes. Fig. 5 is a plan view of thebearings which resist the endthrusts, with the cap or cover removed.Fig.

6 is a section of the same on line 1 1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is alike view on line2 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 8 and 9 are transverseand longitudinal sections of the anti-friction-bearingstaken,respectively on linesS 3 and 4 4. of Fig. 1. Figs. 10 and 11 `aretransverse and longitudinal sections of the stationary buffer-bearing,taken on lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1, respectively.`

Fig. 12 is a section of the anti-friction bearing of the arms of thelever G.

The production of a mechanical movement which will transform rectilinearreciprocating motion into rotary motion without leaving the workingparts ineffective during a portion of the time, as is the case with thecrank when passing its dead-points, has long been sought, and, as webelieve, to the present time without satisfactory result. The object ofour invention :is to accomplish this long-sought and desirable result ina simple and effective manner.

To alter the position of a cylinder so as to keep the piston-rod atright angles to the crank `during the entire stroke is not practicable,and

increasing the number of cylinders so as to produce virtually thesame-result introduces features more objectionable than those of thesingle cylinder. Nor do the present forms of rotary engines seem to besatisfactory.

Our new movement does about what two cylinders or their pistons would dothey could follow their cranks in their revolutions, because in itsmovement the power is applied tangentially throughout the stroke, and onopposite sides of the shaft at the same time,

its dead-points and the varyin grapidity of its motion have been thoughtto be the cause of loss of power and of imperfect action.

Our invention consists, essentially, in the construction and arrangementof the reversed inclined planes in the three pieces A, B, and C, andwithin the cylinder D, whereby reciprocating is converted into rotarymotion; also, in the construction and arrangement of the balanced leverVG, together with the cages of anti-friction rollers and their bearings,and also the arrangement of the buffers which serve to cushion thereciprocating parts.

The spirally-inclined planes form acute angles of about forty-fivedegrees to the axes of rotation. I

Upon a circle equal in circumference to two strokes of the power is awedge of power two, resistance one, to the revolution of the shaft,because four strokes of the power eifect one revolution of the shaftinstead of two strokes, as is the case with the ordinary crank. At thecircumference of the movement, the anglebeing less than forty-vedegrees, and the circle being exactly equal to four strokes of thepower, moving equal distance in equal time with the latter, is a wedgeof one `to one O11 said circumference, and also of two to one, as

against the circle which balances twoV strokes l of power as thebalanced crank-circle. The leverage, also, of four strokes of power isas much greater than the circle described by the center of thecrank-wrist as four strokes of power is greater than three andone-seventh strokes of the same power. Hence the advantage of our newmovement is as two to one or four to two against the balancing-circle orleverage of the crank, and also has an advantage of leverage greaterthan the circle del i l scribed by the center of the crank-wrist of sixlsevenths of its diameter(or of six-sevenths of one stroke of power) tothe revolution.

The principle of the new movement is concentric throughout, the lines ofthe inclinedrotation at the same time, and in lines parallel therewith,as well as with the power, and being secured from rotary motion by abalanced lever. YThe movement is thus balanced into equilibrium of powerand action hence the minimum of friction and maximum of power ought toresult.

When two or more spiral planes are used conjointly upon the same shaftand arranged in the manner as hereinafter described, the leverage may beincreased in ratio to the in-v crease of the pitch or length of pitch ofsaid planes.

The advantage of using two spirally-inclined planes instead of one informing the new movement is threefold, viz:

First. The use of two spirally-inclined planes causes the points ofintersection to meet at one-fourth of the length of their pitch, thusforming the power-wedge of four quarter-spirals, two of which areright-hand planes and two left hand planes, which arrangement lengthensthe pitch of said planes to an acute angle and shortens the reciprocalstrokes of power, and gives the use of four strokes for each revolutionof the shaft instead of two only as'with the crank-movement, two ofwhich strokes take place while the crank in its rotation would bepassing its centers, or quadrants of opposition to its axis of rotation.Hence by this movement one engine is enabled to perform the work of twosimilar ordinary engines with crank-movement.

Second. When two planes are used, they wind around their axis ofrotation, one upon each side and directly opposite to each other,

in such manner that the power acts upon bothl planes on opposite sidesof their axis at the` same time. The power, therefore, is balanced uponsaid axis throughout the stroke and free from lateral pressure upon itsaxle-bearings.

Third. The joining of the quarter-sections of the spiral planes makesthe strength of structure sufficient for all kinds of heavy work, andthe oil being held in the cup formed by y the junction of said planesupon opposite sides and within the walls of the cylinder is retainedupon the surfaces and between the latter, thus aording an unguent andcushion to the working parts.

- The same advantageous results could not be obtained with but one planeof each kind-viz., ri ghtand left hand spiralsbecause one thread wouldbear only upon one side of its shaft at a time, and would therefore beeccentric like the crank and exert lateral pressure upon itsaxlebearings, and for the same stroke of power the pitch would be equalin length to two ofV such strokes and would be one-half shorter and moreobtuse than the pitch of the double planes; but were the latter pitchmaintained in the single plane, then the stroke would be increased todouble that of the double plane movement, and would therefore beobjectionable, as the latter movement suits the length of piston-strokegenerally approved as the most economical, as longer cylinders wasteheat by radiation. Power also would be wasted by lateral pressure, asabove stated, and therefore would be objectionable with any kind ofpower. v

More than two spiral planes may be advantageously employed for certainspecial applications, such as for hoisting-machines, 85o.; but twoplanes, right and left handed, on opposite sides of a shaft equalize theleverage, and place the movement in equilibrium of power and motion,after which no further increasing or reducing of the leverage of themovement would be advantageous. l

The first object is thus attained-viz., plac- "iug the powertangentiallyin equilibrium upon opposite sides of the axis of the movement, i andthereby causing the power to act uniformly throughout the stroke and`revolution, thus getting rid of the dead-points of opposition orresistance inherent t-o the crank-movement.

The cylinder of the movement may be constructed to serve the purposes ofa windingdrum for hoisting and other like purposes.

The new movement is especially adapted to the arbitrary requirements ofthe direct-acting forces of attraction and repulsion in electro-magneticmotors, because of ,its uniform power throughout the entire power-strokeand yits equilibrium.

struction of our new mechanical movement l and its practical operation,as follows: When the length of stroke and the power are known, acorresponding movement is produced by making a pattern, thespirally-inclined planes of which wind once around in four lengths ofstroke, (or eight lengths of a crank suitable for the same stroke.) Tworight-handed and two lefthanded planes are necessary. The right and lefthanded planes intersect each other atpoints one-fourth the length oftheir pitch, and are formed into one piece, A, which completes thepattern for the eastin g. The power or reciprocating section A beingformed of both the right and left hand inclined planes a a', joinedtogether upon a shaft, A', presents the surfacesof both sides of theplanes a a', facing in opposite directions in lines parallel with saidshaft A', to which they are rigidly connected. Two correspondingsections, B C, are made from or by the same pattern, with flanges b cupontheir ends, which anges are bolted to corresponding flanges d uponthe ends of a cylinder, D, and form the heads of the latter. ThesectionsB C therefore project inwardly toward the center of the cylinderD,

angeln i s with their endsior points of intersection standing` directlyopposite to each other, leaving iust sufficient room between them fortheintermediate power or reciprocating section A to move between themfrom one side to the other. The opposite sides of the sections B O,which form the rotary sections, also form the walls which inclose thereciprocating section A. The latter section is, as above stated, rigidlyconnected to a shaft, A', which passes out of the cylinder D through ahole in its center or through a hub, E,`in which there is astufng-box,which latter serves to pack around the shaftA' to make thecylinder oiltight. This shaft A' is sufficiently strong to transmit itsreciprocating motion to the inclined planes of sections B C, andtransform said motion, through the medium of said inclined planes of the.sections B G, into rotary motion, and through the latter to the shaftF. The outer end of shaft A' is rigidly attached to a cross-head, G, orbalanced lever, which lies in the plane of rotation and at right anglesto the shaft A'.

The lever G has its arms g g formed like a T, the outer or rectangularbranches, g' g', of

' which are planed smooth on both sides, and

lie at right angles to the lever-arms g g, and parallel with the line ofpower. These arms g' g' reciprocate between anti-friction bearingsformed upon the standards H, and which consist of the box or receptacleh and the antifriction rollers h', above and below said arms g', asplainly shown by Fig. 12.

The object of this arrangement of long 1ever G, working betweenanti-friction rollers h', being to aiford great leverage with littlefrictional resistance, the whole torsional strain being based upon andresisted by this lever, which serves as the base of the spiral wedge A,the latter being reciprocated by the power which is attached to shaftA',(iu like manner as the vplunger-shaft of a direct-acting pump isattached to the piston-rod of a steam-engine,) wedges the rotarysections B C, together with the cylinder D, shaft F, and the drivenapparatus, into rotary motion.

I I are rubber buffers or other suitable springs, arranged in suitableboxes t' 'formed on opposite sides of acentral partitionJ, formed in thebearing I1 upon the standard l2. The central partition or collar, t,surrounds the power shaft or rod K, which is free to reciprocate in saidcollar-bearing and buffers. Similar buiers, L L', are attached to andmove with the power-shaft K and shaft A', the buffer L being rigidlymounted upon shaft K, in rear of bearing Il, and the'bui'er L' beingrigidly connected to cross-head or lever G, in front of bearing I'. Thebuffers I L L' serve to receive' and return the spent force of themomentum of the reciprocating parts in reversing their motion, andtheirarrangement is plainly shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, and in Figs.'2,10, and 11, in section.

M M', Figs. 1,2, 8, and 9, are hubs cast upon theheads b cof thecylinder C. The former is made sufficiently large to permit the reciprocatingshaft to pass through and operate freely within said hub M, while theother, M', is'keyed to the rotating shaft F. These hubs serve to sustainand retain the movement both in action and in place.

To avoid friction, rings of anti-friction rollers m are tted around thehubs M M', said rollers being located in suitable oil-boxes formed inthe bearing-standards or pillow blocks m', upon which the movement andits shafts are mounted. The ends of the hubs M M' serve also to bear thepressure of the end-thrust of the power, the oil retaining boxes m2retaining a copious supply of oil for said end bearings, upon which theend pressure acts.

When the movement is used in any manner whereby the bearings M M' can bedispensed with, the end-thrust may be resisted by a bearing, N, providedwith a box, n, within which moves the collar or disk N', rigidly keyedto the shaft F. N2 N2 are carriers provided with a series of radialslots or recesses, u', within which are placed the anti-friction.rollers n2, said carriers being located on opposite sides of the collarNl, and held in position by the end plates n3 n3, which are boltedtogether, as shown by Fig. 1, against packing to make the box oil-tight,the action of the roller, being partly sliding, requiring oil to relievethe slid ing friction,

We disclaim all other arrangements of inclined planes whatsoever whichare not shown and described in the several combinations specified inthis specification, to which latter we confine our inventioninclusively.

Having now described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isl.

1. The within-described mechanical movement, composed of the reversedspiral inclined planes A B C, arranged to operate together in the mannerand for the purpose substantially as described. y

2. The reversed spirally-inclined planes A B C, arranged within thecylinder D in such manner that the cylinder will serve as an inclosureand support for the movement and to retain-oil to the working-surfacesot' its spiral planes, in the manner and for the purposes substantiallyas described.

3. The combination, with the cylinder D, of the reversed inclined planesA B C, arranged to form the heads of said cylinder, substantially asdescribed.

4. Thecombination of the inclined planes A B C, the iianges b c of saidplanes B C, the cylinder D, and its lianges d, and the hubs M M',constructed and arranged to serve the purpose of a lifting or windingdrum, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The lever G, in combination with the reciprocating mechanism of themovement, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In combination with the lever G, the

anti-friction-roller bea-rin gs H h h', constructed and arranged tooperate substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. The combination, with the reciprocating` parts of the movementand thebuffers L L, of the buffers I I, arranged and operating substantially asand for the purpose specified.y

8. Thevcoxnbination, with the shaft F and collar or disk N', ofthebearing N, carriers N2 N2, rollers n2, and the end plates n3 n3, allarranged and operating substantially as described, for the purposespecied.

9. In combination with the hubs M M and cylinder D of the movement, thecages of antifriction rollers M and their recessed bearings m1, arrangedto operate in the manner and for the purpose substantially as specified.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsand affixed Our seals this 22d day of March, A. D. 1879.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. HANDY, HENRY ORTH.

